An Americanist is defined as a citizen of any country who works positively and aggressively to promote individual freedom and responsibility, using only those means which are moral, legal, and ethical. He is opposed everywhere by the Collectivist, who works aggressively, using any and all expedient means, to increase the power of a conspiratorial clique of Insiders whose goal is to enslave the world.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

TN Congressman Marsha Blackburn Votes Poorly

Fiscal 2003 Omnibus Appropriations.

The final version (conference report) of House Joint Resolution 2 would provide $397 billion in fiscal 2003 for all Cabinet departments and government agencies covered in 11 unfinished spending bills from the 107th Congress. The bills included are: Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-State, District of Columbia, Energy and Water Development, Foreign Operations, Interior, Labor-HHS-Education, Legislative Branch, Transportation, Treasury-Postal Service, and VA-HUD. The problem with the omnibus approach is that thousands of unconstitutional activities are lumped together with legitimate legislation in one massive bill.

Thus, big government is perpetuated with a minimum of accountability. The House adopted the conference report on H. J. Res. 2 on February 13, 2003 by a vote of 338 to 83 (Roll Call 32).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-1 (Source: The New American, July 14, 2003)

Budget Resolution — Final Version.

The final version (conference report) of the budget resolution (House Concurrent Resolution 95) would authorize federal spending for fiscal 2004 of $1,861 billion dollars with a deficit of $558 billion and an increase in the public debt ceiling of $984 billion. This planned deficit of $558 billion dwarfs the previous record federal deficit of $290 billion in 1992. The $984 billion increase in the public debt ceiling authorized in this bill constituted, under Rule XXVII of the House, approval of the debt limit increase bill (House Joint Resolution 51) without having to cast a separate vote just on increasing the debt ceiling. Subsequently the Senate passed H. J. Res. 51 and President Bush signed it into law, increasing the public debt ceiling by $984 billion (for a new total of $7.4 trillion) and giving Congress a green light to continue its fiscally irresponsible ways. This resolution also includes $400 billion for a Medicare prescription drug benefit for 2004-2013. The House adopted the conference report on H. Con. Res. 95 on April 11, 2003 by a

vote of 216 to 211 (Roll Call 141).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-1 (Source: The New American, July 14, 2003)

Special Education.

This bill (H. 1350) would reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. One its provisions would authorize increasing federal grants to defray more of the cost of educating special education students, from the current 18 percent to percent by 2010. Other provisions would allow school personnel to discipline special education students the same as nondisabled students, reduce paperwork requirements for special education teachers, and limit parents’ ability to sue school districts. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 1350 would cost $50 billion over the 2004-2009 period. The House passed H.R. 1350 on April 30, 2003 by a vote of 251 to 171 (Roll 154).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-1 (Source: The New American, July 14, 2003)

Global AIDS Initiative.

This bill (H.R. 1298) would authorize $15 billion ($3 billion annually) for fiscal years 2004 through 2008 to provide assistance to foreign countries for the stated purpose of combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Much of this funding will be funneled through the Global AIDS Fund and other UN agencies and programs notorious for promoting abortion, as well as encouraging promiscuity through “sex education” courses supposedly aimed at stemming AIDS. The House passed H.R. 1298 on May 1, 2003 by a vote of 375 to 41 (Roll Call 158).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-1 (Source: The New American, July 14, 2003)

Job Training.

This bill (H.R. 1261) would reauthorize the nation’s main job-training program. One of its provisions would allow faith-based groups to receive federal funds while maintaining their religious identity, including hiring based on religious preferences. The Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill would increase “mandatory” spending by $17 billion for the years 2006-2011 and “discretionary” spending by $31 billion over the years 2004-2008. The House passed H.R. 1261 on May 8, 2003 by a vote of 220 to 204 (Roll Call 175).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-1 (Source: The New American, July 14, 2003)

Unemployment Benefits.

This bill (H.R. 2185) would extend the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 through December 31, 2003. This would provide an additional 13 weeks of federal aid to workers in all states who have exhausted their 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits. It would also provide another 13 weeks of federal benefits to workers in states with high unemployment. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 2185 would increase federal outlays by a total of $7.9 billion over the fiscal years 2003 and 2004. The House passed H.R. 2185 on May 22, 2003 by a vote of 409 to 19 (Roll Call 223). Federal aid to unemployed workers is unconstitutional.

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-1 (Source: The New American, July 14, 2003)

Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations.

This bill (H.R. 2660) would appropriate $470 billion for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Departments for fiscal 2004, a 10 percent increase over fiscal 2003. This bill, the biggest of the fiscal 2004 domestic spending bills, includes $138 billion for discretionary spending, including $55.4 billion for education and $22.7 billion for the National Institutes of Health. That leaves $332 billion for so-called mandatory spending on entitlement programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and unemployment insurance. The House passed H.R. 2660 on July 10, 2003 by a vote of 215 to 208 (Roll Call 353).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-2 (Source: The New American, December 29, 2003)

Agriculture Appropriations.

This bill (H.R. 2673) would appropriate $77.5 billion for agriculture, rural development and nutrition programs in fiscal 2004. Over half of the money appropriated by this “agriculture” bill is earmarked for so-called mandatory spending on nutrition programs, including $28 billion for food stamps and $16 billion

for school lunch and other nutrition programs. Total spending for traditional agricultural programs is $26.8 billion, a 5 percent increase. The House passed H.R. 2673 on July 14, 2003 by a vote of 347 to 64 (Roll Call 358).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-2 (Source: The New American, December 29, 2003)

Ban on UN Contributions.

This amendment to H.R. 1950 (Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005) by Rep Ron Paul (R-Texas) stated that “none of the funds authorized … by this Act may be obligated or expended to pay any United States contribution to the United Nations or any affiliated agency of the United Nations.” The House rejected this amendment to H.R. 1950 on July 15, 2003 by a vote of 74 to 350 (Roll Call 364).

This bill (H.R. 2739) would implement a trade agreement to reduce tariffs and trade barriers between the United States and Singapore. A similar bill, the U.S.-Chile Trade Agreement (H.R. 2738), was presented to Congress at the same time as the U.S.-Singapore Trade Agreement. These are the first in a series of bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs) that the Bush administration is negotiating, which will culminate in 2005 in the largest and most significant FTA of them all, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The model for the FTAA is the European Union (EU), formerly the “Common Market,” which has grown by design from a supposed free trade agreement into a supranational government for Europe. The world order architects intend for the FTAA to follow the same trajectory for the Americas. The House passed H.R. 2739 on July 24, 2003 by a vote of 272 to 155 (Roll Call 432).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-2 (Source: The New American, December 29, 2003)

U.S.-Chile Trade.

This bill (H.R. 2738) would implement a trade agreement to reduce tariffs and trade barriers between the United States and Chile. The significance of this trade agreement is like that of the U.S.-Singapore Trade Agreement described above. The House passed H.R. 2738 on July 24, 2003 by a vote of 270 to 156 (Roll Call 436).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-2 (Source: The New American, December 29, 2003)

Supplemental Spending for Iraq & Afghanistan.

The final version conference report) of H.R. 3289 would appropriate $87.5 billion in supplemental fiscal 2004 spending for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the largest supplemental that Congress has ever passed. Of this total, military operations would receive $65.8 billion. Iraq reconstruction would be funded by grants totaling $18.6 billion, while reconstruction in Afghanistan would receive $1.2 billion. William Norman Grigg predicted in the March 24 issue of The New American magazine that “the impending war on, or occupation of, Iraq is intended to carry out the UN Security Council mandates, not to protect our nation or to punish those responsible for the September 11th attack. The war would uphold the UN’s supposed authority and vindicate its role as a de facto world government.” In its November 20 report on President Bush’s speech at London’s Whitehall Palace the Guardian of London provided a concise confirmation of Mr. Grigg’s prediction in its headline “Iraq war saved the UN, says president.” Now American taxpayers must pay tens of billions of dollars, hundreds of billions ultimately, for this latest military intervention to empower the UN. The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 3289 on October 31, 2003 by a vote of 298 to 121 (Roll Call 601).

The final version (conference report) of H.R. 1 would create a prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients. Beginning in 2006, prescription coverage would be available to seniors through private insurers for a monthly premium estimated at $35. There would be a $250 annual deductible, then 75 percent of drug costs up to $2,250 would be reimbursed. Drug costs greater than $2,250 would not be covered until out-of- pocket expenses exceeded $3,600, after which 95 percent of drug costs would be reimbursed. Low-income recipients would receive more subsidies than other seniors by paying lower premiums, having smaller deductibles, and making lower co-payments for each prescription. The total cost of the new prescription drug benefit would be limited to the $400 billion that Congress had budgeted earlier this year for the first 10 years of this new entitlement program. The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 1 on November 22, 2003 by a vote of 220 to 215 (Roll Call 669).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-2 (Source: The New American, December 29, 2003)

Child Nutrition Programs.

This bill (H.R. 3873) would reauthorize through fiscal 2008 several child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the After- school Snack Program. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 3873 would increase direct spending on these programs by about $226 million over the 2004-2008 period. Since obesity in school-age children has greatly increased since 1980, the school lunch program reauthorization bill has become a popular vehicle for proposals aimed at reducing obesity. This bill would require schools to develop “wellness policies” that establish nutritional guidelines for all food sold in schools; however, it stops short of setting mandatory federal standards. The House agreed to the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3873 on March 24, 2004 by a vote of 419 to 5 (Roll Call 82).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-3 (Source: The New American, July12, 2004)

Fiscal 2005 Budget Resolution.

This resolution (House Concurrent Resolution 393) would establish broad spending and revenue targets over the next five years. It calls for $871.3 billion in “discretionary” spending (including $50 billion for supplemental funding of operations in Iraq) and another $1.5 trillion in “mandatory” spending for fiscal 2005. Based on these targets, the “mandatory” spending portion of the budget would increase by 5 percent over last year, and the total budget — a whopping $2.4 trillion — would increase by 3 percent This resolution projects that the budget deficit would be cut significantly by fiscal 2009 (from $376.8 billion in fiscal 2005 to $234 billion in fiscal 2009); however, according to a Congressional Quarterly Fact Sheet, “Budget Resolution for FY 2005,” these projected deficits are deceptively low due to an accounting sleight-of hand whereby “these deficits are calculated by using the surpluses in the Social Security trust funds to offset spending on other programs. If these Social Security surpluses are not counted, the projected deficits in each fiscal year would be $550.7 billion in FY 2005 and $471.8 billion in FY 2009.” The House adopted this resolution on March 25, 2004 by a vote of 215 to 212 (Roll Call 92).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-3 (Source: The New American, July12, 2004)

Surface Transportation.

This bill (H.R. 3550) would authorize $284 billion in federal aid for highway, mass transit, and safety and research programs for fiscal years 2004-2009. This total includes $217 billion for highways, $51.5 billion for mass transit, and $11.1 billion for House members’ transportation projects. The Bush administration had wanted to limit the spending in the bill to $256 billion, which, noted White House spokesman Scott McClellan, would still increase spending by 21 percent. But the House added an additional $28 billion to the bill (11 percent more than the president had requested). The House passed H.R. 3550 on April 2, 2004 by a vote of 357 to 65 (Roll Call 114).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-3 (Source: The New American, July12, 2004)

Job Training and Worker Services.

This bill (H.R. 444) would authorize the creation of “personal re-employment accounts” of up to $3,000 for unemployed workers at risk of exhausting their state unemployment benefits. Money in this account could be used for such expenses as education, childcare, healthcare or transportation. Those workers who find a job within 13 weeks would be allowed to take the balance in their account as a “reemployment bonus.” This bill would authorize $50 million in fiscal 2005 for these “personal re-employment accounts.” The House passed H.R. 444 on June 3, 2004 by a vote of 213 to 203 (Roll Call 225).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-3 (Source: The New American, July12, 2004)

Agriculture Appropriations.

This bill (H.R. 4766) would appropriate $83.7 billion for agriculture, rural development, and nutrition programs in fiscal 2005. Over half ($50.2 billion) of the funding in the so- called agriculture appropriations bill would be for domestic food and nutrition programs, including $33.6 billion for the food stamp program and $11.3 billion for child nutrition programs. Another $27 billion would be for agriculture programs, including $16.5 billion for the Commodity Credit Corporation. The House passed H.R. 4766 on July 13, 2004 by a vote of 389 to 31 (Roll Call 370).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-4 (Source: The New American, November 1, 2004)

Millennium Challenge Account.

During consideration of the foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 4818), Rep. Ron Paul (R- Texas) offered this amendment to eliminate all of the funding for the Millennium Challenge Account. H.R. 4818 would provide $1.25 billion for this account in fiscal 2005, 25 percent more than in fiscal 2004, for the purpose of rewarding nations for progress in human rights, economic policy, and democracy. During floor debate, Paul noted that this year-old program was originally viewed as a transition from one form of foreign aid to another,” but it instead “was just added on.” The House rejected Paul’s amendment on July 15, 2004 by a vote of 41 to 379 Roll Call 383).

Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

108-4 (Source: The New American, November 1, 2004)

Foreign Aid.

The foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 4818) would provide $19.4 billion in fiscal 2005, an 11 percent increase over fiscal 2004 funding. The House passed H.R. 4818 on July 15, 2004 by a vote of 365 to 41 (Roll Call 390).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-4 (Source: The New American, November 1, 2004)

Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations.

This mammoth appropriations bill (H.R. 5006) would provide $496.6 billion in fiscal 2005, including $374.3 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, $60.3 billion for the Department of Education, and $14.9 billion for the Department of Labor. Total fiscal 2005 appropriations would be 3.5 percent higher than fiscal 2004 appropriations. The House passed H.R. 5006 on September 9, 2004 by a vote of 388 to 13 (Roll Call 440).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

108-4 (Source: The New American, November 1, 2004)

Debt Limit Increase.

S 2986. Passage. Increases the national debt limit to $8.18 trillion. Fiscally irresponsible annual federal deficits approaching $0.5 trillion have led to a rapid increase in the public debt.

This bill (H.R. 366) would reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, which funds vocational and technical education programs. The bill would authorize $1.3 billion in fiscal 2006 and “such funds as necessary” in fiscal 2007-11. It would also merge Perkins funding with “Tech-Prep,” a program that provides certain math and science courses to high school students to “ease the transition” from high school to a vocational or community college. The House passed this bill on May 4, 2005 by a vote of 416-9 (Roll Call 154).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-1 (Source: The New American, August 8, 2005)

Supplemental Appropriations.

The final version (conference report) of this supplemental appropriations bill H.R. 1268) would add another $82 billion to the federal budget for fiscal 2005. The supplemental pending, even if needed and constitutional, should not have been added on to the annual federal budget after the fact, but should have been included as part of the regular appropriations process. The supplemental spending in this bill includes $75.9 billion for defense-related purposes, most of it for the military occupation of Iraq, and $907 million for tsunami victims, the latter clearly unconstitutional. One particularly objectionable element of this legislation is the REAL ID Act, which was added to the supplemental appropriations bill by the conference committee. The REAL ID Act would authorize the federal government to impose national standards for driver’s licenses and thereby develop a national ID system. The House adopted the final version of H.R. 1268 on May 5, 2005 by vote of 368-58 (Roll Call 161).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-1 (Source: The New American, August 8, 2005)

WTO Withdrawal.

Representatives Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ron Paul (R-Texas) sponsored this measure (House Joint Resolution 27) to withdraw the United States from the World Trade Organization. The WTO is often portrayed as a “free trade” arrangement by its supporters, but it is actually an international bureaucracy that manages trade and imposes its rulings on member nations including the United States — even when those rulings are contrary to U.S. laws. In fact, U.S. membership in the WTO is unconstitutional, since under our Constitution, Congress — not an international body — “shall have the power … to regulate foreign commerce.” That power cannot be transferred short of a constitutional amendment. The House rejected the WTO withdrawal measure on June 9, 2005 by a vote of 86-338 (Roll Call 239).

Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

109-1 (Source: The New American, August 8, 2005)

UN Dues Decrease.

During consideration of the Commerce-Justice appropriations bill (H.R. 2862), Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) offered an amendment to cut the U.S. “contribution” to the United Nations by $218 million. The House rejected Hayworth’s amendment on June 15, 2005 by a vote of 124- 304 (Roll Call 253).

Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

109-1 (Source: The New American, August 8, 2005)

UN “Reforms.”

On the surface, this United Nations “reform” bill (H.R. 2745) appears to be a conservative” get tough response to UN corruption. It would withhold up to 50 percent of U.S. dues to the UN unless the UN makes certain operational changes, and many “conservatives” voted for it. In reality, the legislation calls for strengthening the UN in the name of “reform.” Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) warned in his June 13 Texas Straight Talk column that the “reform” bill supports creation of a “Peace building Commission,” which “will serve as the implementing force for the internationalization of what were formerly internal affairs of sovereign nations.” The House passed the UN “reform” bill on June 17, 2005 by a vote of 221-184 (Roll Call 282).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-1 (Source: The New American, August 8, 2005)

Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations.

This mammoth social welfare appropriations bill (H.R. 3010) would provide a total of $601.6 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Labor Department ($14.8 billion), the Education Department ($63.7 billion), the Health and Human Services Department ($473.8 billion), and related agencies. The bill is by far the largest of the 11 appropriations bills written

by the House this year. In total, H.R. 3010 would provide a 21 percent increase over

a similar appropriations bill for the previous year. The House passed this bill on June 24,

2005 by a vote of 250-151 (Roll Call 321).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-2 (Source: The New American, December 12, 2005)

Foreign Aid.

This appropriations bill (H.R. 3057) would provide $20.3 billion for U.S. foreign aid programs in fiscal 2006. The House passed the foreign aid bill on June 28, 2005 by a vote of 393-32 (Roll Call 335).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-2 (Source: The New American, December 12, 2005)

Patriot Act Reauthorization.

In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the so-called Patriot Act, which gave law enforcement and intelligence agencies vast new powers to combat terrorism. The act expanded the list of crimes deemed terrorist acts; increased the ability of law enforcement to secretly search homes and business records; expanded the FBI’s wiretapping and surveillance authority; and provided for nationwide jurisdiction for search

warrants and electronic surveillance devices, including the legal extension of those devices to e-mail and the Internet. The bill included a “sunset” provision under which the new surveillance powers “shall cease to have effect on December 31, 2005.” The Patriot Act reauthorization bill (H.R. 3199) considered by the current Congress would make permanent 14 of the 16 provisions set to expire at the end of this year and extend for 10 years the remaining two provisions. The House passed the reauthorization on July 21, 2005 by a vote of 257-171 (Roll Call 414).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-2 (Source: The New American, December 12, 2005)

CAFTA.

This bill (H.R. 3045) would implement the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), thereby expanding the devastating consequences of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), including the job losses wrought by NAFTA.

CAFTA is intended by the Power Elite to be a steppingstone from NAFTA to the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), which would include all of the countries of the Western Hemisphere except (for now) Cuba. Like NAFTA, which has already begun imposing its trade rulings on America, CAFTA and the FTAA would not be genuine free trade arrangements; they would instead manage trade and would gradually exercise more powers on the road to a supranational government modeled after the European Union.

The House passed CAFTA on July 28, 2005 by a vote of 217-215 (Roll Call 443).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-2 (Source: The New American, December 12, 2005)

Surface Transportation.

The final version (conference report) of this bill (H.R. 3) would authorize $286.5 billion

for federal highway, mass transit, and safety and research programs through fiscal 2009. The bill is laden with thousands of “pork barrel” transportation projects requested by individual lawmakers. The House adopted the final version of this legislation on July 29, 2005 by a vote of 412-8 (Roll Call 453).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-2 (Source: The New American, December 12, 2005)

Katrina Hurricane-relief Appropriations.

In the wake of the devastating hurricane disaster in the Gulf Coast, Congress quickly passed legislation that would appropriate $51.8 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 2005 (H.R. 3673) to be used for relief in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Commenting on how the tragic images of Katrina were used to justify more federal welfare and interventionism, as opposed to private charity and initiatives, Rep. Ron

Paul (R-Texas) noted on September 15, after the House and Senate votes: “These

scenes prompted two emotional reactions. One side claims Katrina proved there was

not enough government welfare.... The other side claims we need to pump billions of new dollars into the very federal agency that failed (FEMA).... Both sides support more authoritarianism, more centralization, and even the imposition of martial law in times of natural disasters.” The House passed the Katrina appropriations bill on September 8, 2005 by a vote of 410-11 (Roll Call 460).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-2 (Source: The New American, December 12, 2005)

Head Start Funding.

This legislation (H.R. 2123) would reauthorize the Head Start program through fiscal 2011 and provide $6.8 billion for the program in 2006. The bill would also increase educational standards for Head Start teachers. The House passed the Head Start bill on September 22, 2005 by a vote of 231-184 (Roll Call 493).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-2 (Source: The New American, December 12, 2005)

Foreign Aid.

The final version (conference report) of this appropriations bill (H.R. 3057) would provide $21 billion for U.S. foreign aid programs in fiscal 2006. The House passed the final version of this legislation on November 4, 2005 by a vote of 358-39 (Roll Call 569).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-3 (Source: The New American, July 10, 2006)

Patriot Act Reauthorization.

This is the final version (conference report) of the Patriot Act reauthorization (H.R. 3199). In the weeks following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress quickly passed the so-called Patriot Act, which gave law enforcement and intelligence agencies vast new powers to combat terrorism. The act increased the ability of law enforcement to secretly search home and business records, expanded the FBI’s wiretapping and surveillance authority, and expanded the list of crimes deemed terrorist acts. When passed in 2001 the bill included a “sunset” provision under which the new surveillance powers “shall cease to have effect on December 21, 2005.” The Patriot Act reauthorization bill (H.R. 3199) considered by Congress last year would make permanent 14 of the 16 provisions included in the bill, and extend for four years the two remaining provisions. The House passed the final version of the bill to reauthorize the Patriot Act on December 14, 2005 by a vote of 251-174 (Roll Call 627).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-3 (Source: The New American, July 10, 2006)

Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations.

This massive social-welfare appropriations bill (H.R. 3010) would provide $601.6 billion in fiscal 2006 for the Labor Department ($14.8 billion), the Education Department ($63.5 billion), the Health and Human Services Department ($474.1 billion), and related agencies. H.R. 3010 is the largest of the appropriations bills considered by Congress this year. In total, H.R. 3010 would provide a 21 percent increase over a similar appropriations bill for fiscal 2005. The House passed the bill on December 14, 2005 by a vote of 215- 213 (Roll Call 628).

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

109-3 (Source: The New American, July 10, 2006)

Defunding the NAIS.

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced this amendment to the fiscal 2007 agriculture appropriations (H.R. 5384). Paul’s amendment would bar the use of funds in the bill to implement the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), a government program that would electronically track farm cattle and poultry in hopes of preventing the spread of disease. Writing about the program, Paul stated, “NAIS means more government, more regulations, more fees, more federal spending, less privacy, and diminished property rights.” The House rejected Paul’s amendment on May 23, 2006, by a vote of 34-389 (Roll Call 184).

Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

109-3 (Source: The New American, July 10, 2006)

Foreign Aid.

The fiscal 2007 foreign aid appropriations bill (H.R. 5522) would authorize $21.3 billion for foreign operations and economic assistance in fiscal 2007. Though foreign aid is supposed to help the poor and suffering in other countries, it instead has served to prop up economically deficient socialist regimes and to transfer wealth from American taxpayers to third-world elites. The House passed H.R. 5522 on June 9, 2006 by a vote of 373-34 (Roll Call 250). Foreign aid is unconstitutional and unworkable.

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American - October 30, 2006)

Iran Military Operations.

Representative Maurice Hinchey (DN.Y.) offered this amendment to the 2007 Defense appropriations bill (H.R. 5631). The amendment would bar any funds to initiate military operations in Iran unless it is in accordance with Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, which delegates to Congress alone the power to declare war. The House rejected Hinchey’s amendment by a vote of 158-262 on June 20, 2006 (Roll Call 300). The power to declare war belongs to Congress, not to the president, and that much power should not be in the hands of one man.

Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

(Source: The New American - October 30, 2006)

Line-item Rescission.

The legislative line-item rescission bill (H.R. 4890) would allow the president to propose cuts in spending bills already enacted by Congress. The cuts would then receive an up-or-down vote with no opportunity to filibuster or add amendments. The House passed H.R. 4890 by a vote of 247-172 on June 22, 2006 (Roll Call 317). The rescission bill, though not a full-fledged line-item veto, would still shift some legislative power from Congress to the president, disrupting the U.S. system of checks and balances.

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American - October 30, 2006)

Oman Trade Agreement.

The Oman Free Trade Agreement (H.R. 5684) would reduce most tariffs and duties between Oman and the United States H.R. 5684 was considered under fast track authority, which requires Congress to expedite consideration of presidentially negotiated trade pacts without offering amendments. The Oman agreement is just one steppingstone in the White House’s effort to form a Middle Eastern Free Trade Area (MEFTA) by 2013. These so-called free trade agreements have historically failed because they encourage the relocation of U.S. jobs to foreign countries so that the companies can get cheap labor. Meanwhile, they don’t provide the United States with trade benefits — largely because the people in those countries cannot afford to buy our products — hereby harming the U.S. economy. The agreements also put our economic destiny in the hands of unelected foreign bureaucrats, such as those at the World Trade Organization. The House passed H.R. 5684 by a vote of 221-205 on July 20, 2006 (Roll Call 392). Such trade agreements damage the U.S. economy and threaten U.S. sovereignty by the imposition of international regulations.

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American - October 30, 2006)

Military Tribunals.

This bill (H.R. 6166) would authorize a new system of military tribunals to try persons designated “unlawful enemy combatants” by the president. The bill defines an unlawful enemy combatant to include a person who “has purposely and materially supported hostilities against the United States or its co-belligerents.” Once designated an unlawful enemy combatant, a defendant’s rights would be curtailed: he would be denied the right of habeas corpus; he could be detained indefinitely; and evidence obtained through coercion could be used against him — so long as the coercion falls outside the administration’s definition of torture. Critics of the tribunals bill are planning to file suit in order to test the constitutionality of the legislation. This legislation was in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 29 ruling on the case of Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, which declared that the administration’s current system for trying military detainees was unconstitutional. The House passed the military tribunals bill on September 27, 2006 by a vote of 253-168 (Roll Call 491). This bill would curtail defendant rights. The Senate passed this legislation the following day.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American - October 30, 2006)

Electronic Surveillance.

The warrantless electronic surveillance bill (H.R. 5825) would allow electronic surveillance of communications with suspected terrorists without first obtaining approval from the secret courts established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. Furthermore, the bill would authorize unwarranted surveillance for up to 90 days in some instances if a threat was considered “imminent.” Intelligence agencies would be allowed to conduct warrantless surveillance for seven days prior to gaining court approval if the threat was considered an “emergency situation.” This controversial bill had full support of the Bush administration as a means to provide greater national security in a post-9/11 world. The House passed H.R. 5825 on September 28, 2006 by a vote of 232-191 (Roll Call 502). Such a law would violate the Fourth Amendment by subjecting U.S. citizens to unreasonable searches and seizures.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American - October 30, 2006)

Head Start Funding.

The Head Start reauthorization bill (H.R. 1429) would authorize $7.4 billion for the Head Start program in fiscal 2008. The bill would also disburse “such sums as may be necessary” for fiscal years 2009-2012. The bill would also place more strict requirements on Head Start teachers, such as requiring them to have completed a bachelor’s degree by 2013. The funding for the Head Start program is up from the $6.9 billion that it received in fiscal 2007. The House passed this bill on May 2, 2007, by a vote of 365-48 (Roll Call 285). The bill perpetuates a federally funded educational program, and federal aid to education is unconstitutional.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – July 23, 2007)

Iraq Troop Withdrawal.

This bill to withdraw U.S. troops and Defense Department contractors from Iraq (H.R. 2237) was purely a symbolic bill with little chance of passage by the House. The bill would require the withdrawal of troops and contractors to begin within 90 days of the bill’s enactment, and to be completed within 180 days from the beginning date of the withdrawal. The House rejected this bill on May 10, 2007, by a vote of 171-255 (Roll Call 330). According to Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, only Congress can declare war, and consequently our soldiers are not fighting under a constitutional mandate.

Marsha Blackburn voted AGAINST this bill.

(Source: The New American – July 23, 2007)

COPS Funding.

This bill (H.R. 1700) would provide the annual funds for the Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program for fiscal 2008 through 2013. The bill would authorize $1.15 billion per fiscal year to aid in the hiring of law enforcement officers. The funding would include up to $600 million each year for “officers hired to perform intelligence, anti-terror or homeland security duties.” The House passed H.R. 1700 on May 15, 2007, by a vote of 381-34 (Roll Call 348). Providing federal aid to local law enforcement programs is not only unconstitutional, it also further federalizes the police system. The Senate passed a similar provision in March.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – July 23, 2007)

Iran Military Operations.

During consideration for the fiscal 2008 defense authorization bill (H.R. 1585), Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) offered this amendment that would require President Bush to get specific congressional authorization before engaging in military operations in Iran. The House rejected the DeFazio amendment in a Committee of the Whole on May 16, 2007, by a vote of 136-288. Power to declare war belongs solely to Congress, not the president. Under Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress alone has the power to declare war.

Marsha Blackburn voted AGAINST this bill.

(Source: The New American – July 23, 2007)

Funding the REAL ID Act (National ID).

During consideration of the Homeland Security appropriations bill, Representative Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.) offered an amendment to reallocate $150 million of the bill’s funding to provide grant money for assisting states in conforming to the REAL ID Act of 2005. The REAL ID Act requires all states to issue standardized driver’s licenses that would serve as national ID cards. It was supposed to go into effect three years after the enactment of the act, but because of resistance from the states, the deadline has been extended to 2010 for states that request an extension. Once enacted, a federal agency would not be allowed to accept for any official purpose a driver’s license or ID card issued by a state that fails to meet the act’s requirements. The House rejected the Bilbray amendment by a vote of 155-268 (Roll Call 479) on June 15, 2007. The act would effectively create a national ID card.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – December 10, 2007)

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance.

This bill (S. 1927) would allow warrantless electronic surveillance (eavesdropping) of targets outside the United States regardless of whether they are communicating with someone within the United States. This surveillance had been conducted illegally by the CIA. Under this legislation, communications companies would be required to comply with surveillance requests and would be provided lawsuit protections. The House passed S. 1927 by a vote of 227-183 (Roll Call 836) on August 4, 2007. Warrantless surveillance of American citizens is a violation of the Fourth Amendment provision against “unreasonable searches and seizures.” Although the bill includes a sunset provision causing it to expire after six months, President Bush has already called for making the bill permanent.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – December 10, 2007)

Thought Crimes.

This bill (H.R. 1955), known as the “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007,” could more aptly be titled the “Thought Crimes Act.” The bill would establish a National Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism and establish a grant program to prevent radicalization in the United States. However, critics charge that the bill is a thinly disguised attempt to criminalize dissent, based on the bill’s vague and open-ended language that could be used to trample basic rights to free speech and assembly, and turn legitimate dissent into thought crimes. For instance, the bill defines “violent radicalization” as “the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.” The bill does not define either “extremist belief system” or “facilitating ideologically based violence.” The bill also states that “the Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens.” The House passed H.R. 1955 by a vote of 404-6 (Roll Call 993) on October 23, 2007. The bill threatens legitimate dissent.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – December 10, 2007)

Peru Free Trade Agreement.

The Peru Free Trade Agreement (H.R. 3688) is another in a series of free-trade agreements to transfer the power to regulate trade (and other powers as well) to regional arrangements. Other examples include the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). However, the Committee on Ways and Means Report accompanying H.R. 3688 noted that “the Peru FTA has become the first U.S. free trade agreement to include, in its core text fully enforceable commitments by the Parties to adopt, maintain, and enforce basic international labor standards, as stated in the 1988 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.” The ILO, or International Labor Organization, is a UN agency. The House passed the bill by a vote of 285-132 (Roll Call 1060) on November 8, 2007. The Peru FTA and other so-called free-trade arrangements threaten our national independence and (as we’ve seen with NAFTA) harm our economy.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – December 10, 2007)

Head Start.

The final version (conference report) of H.R. 1429, a bill to reauthorize the Head Start program through 2012, was adopted 381-36 on November 14, 2007 (Roll Call 1090). Head Start provides educational activities and social services for children up to age five from low-income families. The program received $6.9 billion in fiscal year 2007. $7 billion was authorized in the fiscal 2008 omnibus bill, but H.R. 1429 increased funding to $7.4 billion for fiscal 2008, $7.7 billion for 2009, and $8 billion for 2010. The income level at which families are eligible to participate was raised from 100 percent of the poverty level to 130 percent ($26,728 for a family of four) Some members opposed the bill because Head Start grants will not be allowed to faith-based organizations that hire employees on the basis of religious preference. The bill advances the federalizing of the educational system, and federal involvement in education is unconstitutional.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – July 21, 2008)

Economic Stimulus.

H.R. 5140, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, passed 385-35 on January 29, 2008 (Roll Call 25). It would provide about $150 billion in economic stimulus, including $101.1 billion in direct payments of rebate checks (typically $600) to most taxpayers in 2008 and temporary tax breaks for businesses. Creating money out of thin air and then spending the newly created money cannot improve the economy, at least not in the long term. (If it could, why not create even more money for rebates and make every American a millionaire?) The stimulus has no offset and thus increases the federal deficit by the amount of the stimulus because the government must borrow the rebate money. A realistic long-term stimulus can only be achieved by lowering taxes through less government and by reducing regulatory burdens.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – July 21, 2008)

Farm Bill (Veto Override).

H.R. 6124 would authorize the nation’s farm programs for the next five years, including crop subsidies and nutrition programs. The final version of the legislation provides $289 billion for these programs, including a $10.4 billion boost in spending for nutrition programs such as food stamps. After this legislation was vetoed by President Bush, the House passed the bill over the president’s veto on June 18, 2008 by a vote of 317-109 (Roll Call 417). A two-thirds majority vote is required to override a presidential veto. Federal aid to farmers and federal food aid to individuals are not authorized by the Constitution.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – October 27, 2008)

Warrantless Searches.

H.R. 6304, the bill to revamp the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), would allow warrantless electronic surveillance, including monitoring telephone conversations and e-mails, of foreign targets, including those communicating with American citizens in the United States. The final version of the bill would not explicitly grant immunity to telecommunications companies that have assisted President Bush’s warrantless surveillance program. But it would require courts to dismiss lawsuits against such companies if there is “substantial evidence” they were insured in writing the program was legal and authorized by the president. The provision would almost certainly result in the dismissal of the lawsuits. The House passed H.R. 6304 on June 20, 2008 by a vote of 293-129 (Roll Call 437). Warrantless searches are a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures, and requires that any searches be conducted only upon issuance of a warrant under conditions of probable cause. Moreover, Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution forbids “ex post facto laws” — laws having a retroactive effect.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – October 27, 2008)

Employee Verification Program.

H.R. 6633 would reauthorize the EVerify (Internet-based) pilot employment eligibility verification program allowing employers to verify employment eligibility of new hires. The program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security, which would be required to provide funding to the Social Security Administration for checking Social Security numbers submitted by employers under the program. The House passed the bill on July 31, 2008 by a vote of 407-2 (Roll Call 557). Social Security numbers were not intended to be used and should not be used as the basis for a national ID database. An alternative measure (H.R. 5515) would have the screening for employment eligibility verification provided by state-administered private companies that already track employee verification for child-support enforcement.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – October 27, 2008)

Supplemental Appropriations.

The Fiscal 2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill (H.R. 2346) would provide an additional $96.7 billion in “emergency” funding for the current fiscal year over and above the regular appropriations. Included in the funds for H.R. 2346 is $84.5 billion for the ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, $10 billion for foreign aid programs, and $2 billion for flu pandemic preparation. The House passed H.R. 2346 on May 14, 2009, by a vote of 368-60 (Roll Call 265). The spending is over and above what the federal government had already budgeted, the United States never declared war against Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of the spending (e.g., foreign aid) is unconstitutional.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – July 20, 2009)

Body Imaging Screening.

During consideration of the Transportation Security Administration Authorization bill (H.R. 2200), Rep. Jason Chaffetz (RUtah) offered an amendment that would prohibit the use of Whole-Body Imaging (WBI) as the primary method of screening at airports. The amendment would allow passengers the option of a pat-down search rather than being subjected to a WBI search that shows extremely intimate details of one’s body. The Chaffetz amendment would also prohibit TSA from storing, copying, or transferring any images that are produced by WBI machines. Since its creation, TSA has become infamous for its meddlesome searches and disregard for an individual’s right of privacy. Evidence shows that corruption and mismanagement have been commonplace within the relatively new federal department for years. The Chaffetz amendment would do very little to scale back the power held by the TSA, but it does offer some hope that our representatives are not wholly unaware of how the TSA and its policies would threaten the privacy of American citizens through a process that has been called a “virtual strip-search.” The House adopted the Chaffetz amendment by a “Committee of the Whole” on June 4, 2009, by a vote of 310-118 (Roll Call 305). Such technology is obtrusive for American citizens and violates our right of protection against unwarranted searches and seizures.

Marsha Blackburn voted AGAINST this bill.

(Source: The New American – July 20, 2009)

Patriot Act.

This bill (H.R. 3961) would extend by one year three Patriot Act provisions that were set to expire on February 28, 2010. The provisions allow the federal government to exercise wide-ranging surveillance and seizure powers with few limitations. For instance, the records provision allows the government to obtain “any tangible thing” that, it says, has “relevance” to a terrorism investigation. “Relevance” is a much lower standard — if it can even be called a standard at all — than the “probable cause” and a court warrant standard explicitly required by the Fourth Amendment. The House agreed to extend the provisions on February 25, 2010 by a vote of 315-97 (Roll Call 67). These provisions violate the right of the people to (in the words of the Fourth Amendment) “be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.”

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – July 5, 2010)

Withdrawing U.S. Soldiers from Afghanistan.

This legislation (House Concurrent Resolution 248) would direct the President to remove the U.S. Armed Forces from Afghanistan within 30 days of enactment, or by the end of the year if the President determines they cannot be safely removed sooner. The House rejected H. Con. Res. 248 on March 10, 2010 by a vote of 65 to 356 (Roll Call 98). The U.S. military presence in Afghanistan cannot be justified on the basis of defending the United States, there has been no declaration of war, and Congress needs to assert constitutional authority to decide when we do go to war.

Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

(Source: The New American – July 5, 2010)

Supplemental Appropriations.

The supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 4899) would provide an additional $58.8 billion in “emergency” funding for the current fiscal year (2010). The supplemental appropriations in the bill include $37.1 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, $5.1 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and $2.9 for earthquake relief in Haiti. The House passed the bill on July 27, 2010 by a vote of 308-114 (Roll Call 474). The spending is over and above what the federal government already budgeted, Congress never declared war against Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of the spending (e.g., foreign aid) is unconstitutional.

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – October 25, 2010)

Patriot Act Extension.

This legislation (S. 990) extended for four years three provisions of the Patriot Act that were set to expire: the “roving wiretap” provision that allows the federal government to wiretap any number of a suspect’s telephone/Internet connections without specifying what they will find or how many connections will be tapped; the “financial records” provision that allows the feds to seize “any tangible thing” that has “relevance” to an investigation; and the “lone wolf” provision that allows spying on non-U.S. citizens without a warrant. These provisions violate the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which requires that no warrants be issued “but upon probable cause” (a much higher standard than “relevance”), and that warrants must contain language “particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” The Patriot Act even allows the FBI to issue warrants called “National Security Letters” without going to a judge, though this provision was not set to expire and therefore was not part of this legislation. The House passed the Patriot Act extension on May 26, 2011 by a vote of 250 to 153 (Roll Call 376). The provisions that were extended, as well as the Patriot Act as a whole, violate the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution.

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – August 8, 2011).

Libya Troop Withdrawal.

House Concurrent Resolution 51 would have directed President Obama, “pursuant to … the War Powers Resolution, to remove the United States Armed Forces from Libya.” The War Powers Resolution bars the President from militarily engaging the armed forces for more than 60 days without congressional approval. Obama had not sought congressional approval for undertaking military action in Libya. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who sponsored H. Con. Res. 51, noted: “In the weeks leading up to the war, the administration had time to consult with the Arab League, the United Nations, the African Union, but apparently had no time to come to this Congress for approval.” The House rejected Kucinich’s resolution on June 3, 2011 by a vote of 148 to 265 (Roll Call 412). Obama’s Libya deployment is now in violation of the War Powers Act’s 60-day requirement for congressional authorization, and it violates the Constitution, which clearly assigns to Congress the power “to declare war.”

Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

(Source: The New American – August 8, 2011).

Libya. During consideration of the Defense appropriations bill, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) introduced an amendment to prohibit the use of funds in the bill to carry out military actions against Libya unless Congress declares war against Libya. The House rejected the Kucinich amendment on July 8, 2011 by a vote of 169 to 251 (Roll Call 530). Under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution only Congress has the power “to declare war.” The Founding Fathers assigned this power to Congress because they did not want a single man deciding when to go to war. Yet President Obama usurped this congressional war-making authority by initiating offensive military actions against Libya without even asking advice from Congress, much less requesting the required declaration of war.

Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

(Source: The New American – January 9, 2012).

Debt Deal.This legislation (S. 365) provided for an immediate $400 billion increase in the national debt limit, while allowing the President to raise the ceiling an additional $500 billion unless Congress passes a resolution of disapproval. This legislation also established a process for reducing future cumulative deficit projections by up to $2.4 trillion for fiscal years 2012 through 2021, including the establishment of a super-committee tasked with recommending cuts totaling up to $1.5 trillion for the 10-year period. If the super-committee were to fail in recommending at least $1.2 trillion in cuts (and, as we know, the super-committee failed to recommend any cuts), then the legislation would trigger automatic cuts totaling up to $1.2 trillion over 10 years. The debt-raising/deficit-cutting package created the appearance that Congress was doing something to rein in out-of-control spending. But in reality, the total national debt would still increase even if the entire dollar amount of cuts called for in the legislation were identified and enacted, since the cuts are not cuts in the absolute sense but cuts in future budget projections. The national debt would continue to go up, but not as fast as before, for the simple reason that cutting (say) $1.2 trillion over 10 years will not offset projected annual $1 trillion-plus deficits. The House passed S. 365 on August 1, 2011 by a vote of 269 to 161 (Roll Call 690). The debt deal allows both the national debt and spending to continue their upward trajectories. Moreover, the budget process established by the legislation is clearly unconstitutional since no Congress can bind the actions of future Congresses via the so-called automatic cuts.

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – January 9, 2012).

South Korea Trade Agreement.

On a single day — October 12, 2011 — both the House and Senate approved three separate trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama. These measures are three more in a series of “free-trade agreements” intended to transfer the power to regulate trade (and eventually other powers too) to super-national arrangements via a step-by-step process. NAFTA is a prime example of such an arrangement. So is the developing continental government now known as the European Union, which is an outgrowth of a free-trade arrangement once called the Common Market. In fact, the Common Market-EU trajectory to regional governance served as a model for the formation of NAFTA. The South Korea agreement, to quote Congressional Quarterly, is “considered the most economically important trade deal since the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement.” The House passed H.R. 3080, the measure to implement the South Korea trade agreement, on October 12, 2011 by a vote of 278 to 151 (Roll Call 783). Agreements such as this one are intended to transfer trade (and other) powers to super-national arrangements binding the United States, despite the fact that under the Constitution only Congress has the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations.”

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – January 9, 2012).

Omnibus Appropriations.

This catch-all
legislative package (H.R. 2055), which would provide $915 billion in
discretionary appropriations for fiscal 2012, is comprised of nine
appropriations bills for fiscal 2012 that Congress failed to complete separately
— Defense ($518.8 billion), Energy-Water ($32.1 billion), Financial Services
($21.5 billion), Homeland Security ($41.3 billion), Interior-Environment ($29.2
billion), Labor-HHS-Education ($156.3 billion), Legislative Branch ($4.3
billion), State-Foreign Operations ($33.5 billion), and Military
Construction-VA ($73.7 billion). The House adopted the final version of this
legislation (known as a conference report) on December 16, 2011 by a vote of
296 to 121 (Roll Call 941). Many of the bill’s spending programs — e.g.,
education, housing, foreign aid, etc. — are unconstitutional. Moreover, passing
this mammoth appropriations bill in light of the ongoing trillion-dollar annual
deficits is grossly fiscally irresponsible. Furthermore, packaging the appropriations
bills for so many large federal agencies into one mega-bill greatly reduces the
accountability of the Congressmen to their constituents.

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New
American – July 9, 2012).

Line-item Veto.

This
bill (H.R. 3521) would allow the President to rescind all or part of any dollar
amount of funding for discretionary spending items in enacted appropriations
bills. Although both houses of Congress would have to approve any such
rescissions, they would be forced to do so very quickly by the bill’s expedited
procedures, including a prohibition on amendments in both Houses and filibusters
in the Senate. This bill dramatically and unilaterally enhances the power of
the executive branch. Note that Article I, Section 1 and Article I, Section 7,
Clauses 2 and 3, of the U.S. Constitution vest Congress with all legislative
powers. Any bill that shifts legislative power away from Congress and to the
President is violating the constitutionally defined separation of powers for
the legislative and executive branches. A similar line-item veto law was passed
when Clinton
was President. That one was found to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
The House passed H.R. 3521 on February 8, 2012 by a vote of 254 to 173 (Roll Call
46). Providing any form of line item
veto power to the President violates the Constitution’s separation of powers.

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New
American – July 9, 2012).

Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA).

This
bill (H.R. 3523) would foster information sharing about cyber threats between the
federal government and private businesses. Businesses that would participate in
this sharing would be protected from lawsuits regarding this sharing of their customers’
private information with the government. According to Violet Blue in an article
posted on ZDNet.com on June 8, “Most people familiar with CISPA believe it will
wipe out decades of consumer privacy protections and is primarily to give the US government
unprecedented access to individuals’ online data and communications.” The House
passed H.R. 3523 on April 26, 2012 by a vote of 248 to 168 (Roll Call 192). The
CISPA bill would permit government access to the private information of
citizens, in violation of the Fourth Amendment “right of the people to be
secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches
and seizures.”

Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New
American – July 9, 2012).

Indefinite Detention.

Detainee-related
language in the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4310) is so sweeping
that American citizens accused of being terrorists can be detained by the U.S.
military and held indefinitely without habeas corpus and without even being tried
and found guilty in a court of law. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) offered an
amendment to strike this language from the bill, but the House rejected Smith’s
amendment on May 18, 2012 by a vote of 182 to 238 (Roll Call 270). The War on
Terror must not be allowed to destroy constitutional legal protections,
including the issuance of a warrant based on probable cause (Fourth Amendment)
and the right to a trial (Sixth Amendment).

Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

(Source: The New
American – July 9, 2012).

Afghanistan Withdrawal (Defense Appropriations
Reduction).

During
consideration of the Defense appropriations bill for fiscal 2013 (H.R. 5856),
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) proposed an amendment to cut overseas military
spending by almost $21 billion. The intent behind the amendment was to allow
enough funding for an orderly withdrawal from the unpopular war in Afghanistan but
not enough to continue the conflict. According to Rep. Lee, the original bill
includes over $85 billion for the war in Afghanistan. The House rejected
Lee’s amendment on July 18, 2012 by a vote of 107 to 312 (Roll Call 485). The
massive expenditure on undeclared foreign wars and nation building is
unconstitutional and unaffordable.

Marsha
Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill

FISA.

The
proposed FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 (H.R. 5949) would
reauthorize for five years, through 2017, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
Act (FISA), which governs electronic surveillance of foreign terrorism
suspects. The law allows warrantless surveillance of foreign targets who may be
communicating with people in the United States, provided that the
secret FISA court approves surveillance procedures. The House passed H.R. 5949
on September 12, 2012 by a vote of 301 to 118 (Roll Call 569). Warrantless
surveillance is unconstitutional and violates privacy and individual liberty.
While ostensibly carried out only on “foreign suspects” communicating with U.S. citizens, it is difficult to imagine this
surveillance not extending to U.S.
citizens.

Marsha
Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

Continuing Resolution.

House
Joint Resolution 117 would provide continuing appropriations for the federal
government from October 1, 2012 through March 27, 2013. This would amount to an
annualized rate of $1.047 trillion in “discretionary” spending for regular
appropriations, and would include a 0.6 percent increase in funding for most
federal programs and agencies. This continuing resolution would also provide
nearly $100 billion in war funding and $6.4 billion in advance disaster relief
funds. To put this appropriations bill into perspective, consider what the
Congressional Budget Office reported on August 22, 2012: “For fiscal year 2012
(which ends on September 30), the federal budget deficit will total $1.1
trillion, CBO estimates, marking the fourth year in a row with a deficit of
more than $1 trillion.” This deficit is based on the CBO’s estimates of $2.435
trillion in federal revenue and $3.563 trillion in federal outlays for fiscal
2012. Therefore, 32 percent of every federal dollar spent in 2012 had to be
borrowed. For 2011, 2010, and 2009 the shortfall has been 36, 37, and 40
percent respectively. The House passed H. J. Res. 117 on September 13, 2012 by
a vote of 329 to 91 (Roll Call 579). Passage of this mammoth continuing
resolution provided a way for Congress to perpetuate its fiscally
irresponsible, unconstitutional spending habits with a minimum of
accountability to its constituents.

The Strengthening State and
Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017 (H.R. 1616) would, according to the
bill, authorize "within the United States Secret Service a National
Computer Forensics Institute" for fiscal years 2017 through 2022.
According to the bill, "The Institute shall disseminate information
related to the investigation and prevention of cyber and electronic crime and
related threats, and educate, train, and equip State, local, tribal, and
territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges."
(Emphasis added.) In the name of combating cyber crime, this bill would
further erode the distinction between local law enforcement and federal
policing.

The House passed H.R. 1616 on May 16, 2017 by a vote
of 408 to 3 (Roll Call 258). Providing federal equipment and training to
state and local law-enforcement officers not only is unconstitutional, but
also further federalizes the police system.Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

Rather than voting to repeal
ObamaCare, the House voted instead to retain much of ObamaCare under the
guise of "repeal and replace." The legislation (H.R. 1628), known
as the American Health Care Act (AHCA), was strongly backed by President
Trump and the Republican congressional leadership. Consequently most
Republicans voted for the bill, but 20 voted against it. Liberty-minded
Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) noted that the AHCA entailed
"replacing mandates, subsidies and penalties with mandates, subsidies
and penalties." Another Republican lawmaker, Representative Andy Biggs
(Ariz.), while "applaud[ing] all the hard work of the House Freedom
Caucus, which has made every effort ... to improve this legislation,"
nonetheless concluded that the "final bill ... does not meet the
promises I made to my constituents." Biggs added, "I remain
committed to a full repeal of ObamaCare."

The House passed H.R. 1628 on May 4, 2017 by a vote
217 to 213 (Roll Call 256). ObamaCare should be repealed, not replaced with a
Republican variant of unconstitutional government healthcare that more
liberty-minded lawmakers have referred to as "ObamaCare Lite" and
"ObamaCare 2.0." Admittedly, the Democrats who voted against this
GOP alternatives have gotten "pluses" on this for the wrong reasons
(they do not want to move away from the ObamaCare brand and in many cases
want even more socialized medicine), but the Republicans who voted against
the bill based on principle as opposed to partisanship are to be applauded.

The Securing Our Agriculture
and Food Act (H.R. 1238) would expand the War on Terror to the farm and dairy
front in order to "share information and quickly respond to
agro-terrorism threats," according to the bill's lead sponsor,
Representative David Young (R-Iowa). Congressman Young cited the 2015 avian
influenza that “wiped out millions of layer hens, turkeys, and backyard
flocks" in Iowa to justify the need for his bill, despite the fact that
the bird flu was not caused by terrorists.

The House passed H.R. 1238 on March 22, 2017 by a
vote of 406 to 6 (Roll Call 187). This bill expands the "War on
Terror" to include the fictitious and non-existent threat of
"agro-terrorism" in the American homeland, thereby further
interjecting the U.S. government into the agriculture sector, despite the
absence of any constitutional power to manage this or any other sector of the
American economy.

This bill (H.R. 2028)
perpetuates Congress’ growing habit of avoiding hard decisions about the
level of federal spending by kicking the can down the road into the middle of
the new fiscal year, with a continuing resolution that would provide funding
for federal government operations at the fiscal year 2016 level through April
28, 2017 at an annualized “discretionary” rate of $1.07 trillion.

The House passed the final version of H.R. 2028 on
December 8, 2016 by a vote of 326 to 96 (Roll Call 620). With this Continuing
Appropriations bill, Congress is failing to address its fiscally and
constitutionally irresponsible budgeting and appropriating process that is
currently yielding annual federal deficits measured in the hundreds of billions
of dollars that contribute directly to the dramatic growth of our $20
trillion national debt.

This bill (S. 2943)
authorizes $611.2 billion for military programs in fiscal year 2017,
including $59.5 billion for foreign operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Syria. Among its many provisions, the massive bill creates a “Global
Engagement Center” to counter “foreign state and non-state propaganda and
disinformation efforts.” Dubbed an Orwellian “Ministry of Truth” by critics
including THE NEW AMERICAN, this new government propaganda center is
authorized to “provide financial support” to (among others) “media content
providers,” including “local independent media who are best placed to refute
foreign disinformation and manipulation in their own communities.”

The House passed the NDAA on December 2, 2016 by a
vote of 375 to 34 (Roll Call 600). The authorizations in this bill go way
beyond providing for our national defense. Our foreign military interventions
in the Middle East in particular have exacerbated terrorism and undermined
U.S. security. The creation of the Orwellian “Global Engagement Center,”
which was added to the NDAA without Congress being able to vote on it as a
stand-alone bill, also falls outside the scope of legitimate national
defense. Rather than agreeing to the version of NDAA they did, our lawmakers
should have rejected it and passed instead a constitutionally sound version.

During consideration of the
Defense Appropriations bill (H.R. 5293), Representative Dana Rohrabacher
(R-Calif.) introduced an amendment to prohibit the use of funds in the bill
to provide aid to Pakistan, a supposed U.S. ally in the “war on terror.”
Rohrabacher noted on the House floor: “Since 9/11, we have given Pakistan
well over $30 billion, the majority of which goes to military and security
services of Pakistan. And Pakistan has used those services to murder and
oppress their people.... It is a grotesque charade for us to suggest that our
aid is buying Pakistani cooperation in the war on radical Islamic terrorism
or in anything else.”

The House rejected Rohrabacher’s amendment on June
16, 2016 by a vote of 84 to 336 (Roll Call 325). U.S. foreign aid is
unconstitutional, and aid sent to Pakistan has undermined rather than helped
the cause of freedom.

During consideration of the
Defense Appropriations bill (H.R. 5293), Representative Tulsi Gabbard
(D-Hawaii) introduced an amendment to prohibit the use of funds in the bill
for the Syria Train and Equip Program. Through this program, the U.S.
government has armed so-called moderate jihadists who are not fighting for
freedom but for an Islamic State under Sharia law, not just in Syria but
beyond — the same goal as ISIS. In her House speech advocating her amendment,
Gabbard warned that “overthrowing Assad … would strengthen groups like ISIS
and al Qaeda, allowing them to take over all of Syria, creating an even worse
humanity crisis and an even greater threat to the world.”

The House rejected Gabbard’s amendment on June 16,
2016 by a vote of 135 to 283 (Roll Call 328). U.S. foreign aid is
unconstitutional, and arming so-called moderate jihadists to fight Assad is
both counterproductive and tantamount to going to war in Syria.Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

During consideration of the
Defense Appropriations bill (H.R. 5293), Representative Barbara Lee
(D-Calif.) introduced an amendment to prohibit the use of funds in the bill
for the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force Act. Enacted in the wake
of 9/11, the AUMF authorized the president to “use all necessary and
appropriate force” against the terrorists involved, as well as those who
aided or harbored them. It was used as the authorization for U.S. military
entry into Afghanistan in 2001, and over the years has also been invoked on
other occasions by the executive branch to justify U.S. military intervention
abroad.

The House rejected Lee’s amendment on June 16, 2016
by a vote of 146 to 274 (Roll Call 330). Presidents have been able to claim
broad authority to go to war whenever or wherever they choose under the AUMF,
despite the fact that the Founding Fathers never intended for one man to make
this decision, and under the Constitution only Congress may “declare war.”Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST this bill.

This bill (H.R. 5471) would
authorize the Homeland Security Department to train state and local law
enforcement in methods for countering violent extremism and terrorism. This
training would take place at fusion centers that have been established across
the nation by the Homeland Security Department and the U.S. Department of
Justice for promoting information sharing between agencies such as the CIA,
FBI, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. military, and state- and local-level
governments. It also would require the department to incorporate testimonials
of former extremists and their friends and families into its efforts to
combat terrorist recruitment and communications.

The House passed H.R. 5471 on June 16 , 2016 by a
vote of 402 to 15 (Roll Call 333). Providing federal training to state and
local law-enforcement programs is not only unconstitutional, but also further
federalizes the police system.

During consideration of the
National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4909), Representative Barbara Lee
(D-Calif.) introduced an amendment to repeal the Authorization for Use of
Military Force (AUMF) that was enacted in 2001 for the purpose of authorizing
U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 terror
attacks. Since then, however, the AUMF has been invoked numerous times by the
executive branch for U.S. military intervention not only in Afghanistan but
elsewhere.

The House rejected Lee’s amendment on May 18, 2016 by
a vote of 138 to 285 (Roll Call 210). Presidents have been able to claim
broad authority to go to war whenever or wherever they choose under the AUMF,
despite the fact that the Founding Fathers never intended for one man to make
this decision, and under the Constitution only Congress may “declare war.”

This bill (H.R. 1567) would
require the president to coordinate development and implementation of a
global food security strategy, and would authorize approximately $1 billion
for fiscal 2017 to implement portions of the strategy that relate to the
State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

The House passed H.R. 1567 on April 12, 2016 by a
vote of 370 to 33 (Roll Call 139). Feeding the world is not a proper
responsibility of the U.S. government. Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is
there any authorization for the federal government to feed the American
people, let alone citizens of other countries. Furthermore, offering “aid” to
impoverished countries is often a means to prop up dictators who will bend to
the will of the wealthy country in exchange for money. Such corrupt rulers
have little regard for the welfare of their people, so the “aid” rarely finds
its way to the people who need it most.

The TPA, introduced as an
amendment to an otherwise relatively innocuous bill about public safety
employment withdrawals, would renew the on-again-off-again “fast track
authority”that Congress has often awarded to the president over the past
several decades.The essential features of TPA are: (1) Congress
unconstitutionally delegates its constitutional authority “to regulate
commerce with foreign nations” to the executive branch; and (2) Congress
dramatically increases the probability of its approval of foreign trade
agreements negotiated by the executive branch by restricting itself to voting
up or down by simple majority on the agreements, with no ability to amend the
agreements and with no possibility of filibusters in the Senate.So-called
free-trade agreements that are negotiated under “fast track authority,” such
as the already-existing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the
proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and
Investment Partnership (TTIP), have in common a structure and purpose to
create supranational political entities that would supersede the national
independence of the United States. Genuine free trade would mean the absence
of government involvement, but these agreements entail more than just trade
and put the United States on a trajectory to regional governance similar to
Europe’s trajectory from the Common Market to the EU.

The House passed TPA on June 18,2015 by a vote of 218
to 208 (Roll Call374). The TPA would facilitate the subordination of the
national independence of the United States to regional blocs of nations in a
process that is leading toward a world government.

Trade Promotion Authority.The House held separate roll call votes on the Trade
Promotion Authority (TPA) and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) sections of
H.R. 1314. The TPA portion of the bill would renew the on-again-offagain
"fast track authority" that Congress has often awarded to the
president over the past several decades. The essential features of TPA are:
(1) Congress unconstitutionally delegates its constitutional authority
"to regulate commerce with foreign nations" to the Executive
Branch; and (2) Congress dramatically increases the probability of approval
of foreign trade agreements by restricting itself to voting up or down by
simple majority on the agreements, as negotiated and submitted by the
president, with no ability to amend the agreements and with no possibility of
filibusters in the Senate.

So-called free-trade agreements that have already
been passed under previously awarded "fast track authority," such
as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the currently
proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and
Investment Partnership (TTIP), have in common a structure and purpose that
would create supranational political entities that would supersede the
national independence of the United States. Genuine free trade would mean the
absence of government involvement, but these agreements entail more than just
trade and put the United States on a trajectory to regional governance
similar to Europe's trajectory from a Common Market to the EU.

The House agreed to the TPA section of H.R. 1314 on
June 12, 2015 by a vote of 219 to 211 (Roll Call 362). The TPA would
facilitate the subordination of the national independence of the United
States to regional trading blocs.

Country of Origin
Labeling. The proposed Country of Origin Labeling Amendments
Act of 2015 (H.R. 2393) would amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to
repeal the requirements of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for beef,
chicken, and pork sold in the United States. This vote came after the World
Trade Organization's recent ruling against an appeal from the United States
to keep its COOL. Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) opposed passage of the
bill to repeal COOL. From the House floor, Massie elaborated: "What is
the World Trade Organization, and who are they to tell Congress what laws we
have to pass? These judges weren't appointed by the President. They weren't
confirmed by the Senate. These are not judges from our Constitution. These
are extra-constitutional judges, yet they are telling us here in Congress you
have got to do this or there will be repercussions."

The House passed H.R. 2393 on June 10, 2015 by a vote
of 300 to 131 (Roll Call 333). This bill would cede national sovereignty over
food-related choices and regulations to the WTO. Moreover, this bill would
prevent American consumers from knowing where their food comes from.

Cyberspace Intelligence
Sharing.The proposed National Cybersecurity Protection
Advancement Act (NCPA) of 2015 (H.R. 1731) would amend the Homeland Security
Act of 2002 to expand the role of the Department of Homeland Security's
National Cybersecurity and Communication Integration Center, designating it
the principal federal entity to receive and disseminate information about
cyberspace threats from and to private companies and other federal agencies.

The House passed H.R. 1731 on April 23, 2015 by a
vote of 355 to 63 (Roll Call 173). This bill would further empower the
unconstitutional Department of Homeland Security, erode the privacy
protections enshrined in the Constitution, and gradually move the United
States closer to becoming a police state.

Ukraine Military Aid. House Resolution 162, which calls on the president
"to provide Ukraine with military assistance to defend its sovereignty
and territorial integrity," allows President Obama to provide Ukraine
with defensive weapons to defend against aggression from Russia.

The House adopted H. Res. 162 on March 23, 2015 by a
vote of 348 to 48 (Roll Call 131). Foreign aid is unconstitutional and also this
bill would further interject the United States into a foreign conflict.
Allowing the U.S. president to provide lethal arms to Ukraine in order to
fight Russia is tantamount to waging a proxy war on Russia without the
constitutionally required congressional declaration of war. The House, by
giving such power to the president, is relinquishing one of its
constitutional responsibilities.

Weapons to Syrian Rebels.During consideration of the Defense Appropriations
bill, Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) introduced an amendment that
would have prohibited any funding in the bill from being used to provide
weapons to Syrian rebels. Fortenberry noted on the House floor that "the
rebel movement is a battleground of shifting alliances and bloody conflicts
between groups that now include multinational terrorist organizations,"
that "sending our weapons into this chaotic war zone could inadvertently
help these extremists," and that "it has already happened." He
added: "The naive notion that we can deliver weapons to vetted, moderate
opposition groups at war with other rebel militias gives no guarantee that
our weaponry won't be seized or diverted."

The House rejected Fortenberry's amendment on June
19, 2014 by a vote of 167 to 244 (Roll Call 328). Arming "moderate"
rebels in a foreign country is tantamount to going to war, which would
require a declaration of war by Congress. Also, the United States should
follow the Founders' advice not to become involved in foreign quarrels.

Militarizing Local Police.During consideration of the Defense Appropriations
bill, Representative Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) introduced an amendment that would
have prohibited any funding in the bill from being used to transfer excess
military equipment, such as aircraft (including drones), armored vehicles,
grenade launchers, and bombs, to local police departments. "Those
weapons have no place in our streets, regardless of who may be deploying
them," Grayson said in remarks supporting his amendment.

The House rejected Grayson's amendment on June 19,
2014 by a vote of 62 to 355 (Roll Call 329). The proper role of local police
is undermined by converting them into militarized units more suitable for
occupying hostile territory than for protecting their local communities from
the criminal element. Providing local police with "free" U.S.
military equipment also greases the skids for more federal control, leading
ultimately to nationalized police beholden to Washington as opposed to
independent police departments beholden to local citizens acting through
their elected officials.

Military Operations in
Afghanistan.During consideration of the Defense Appropriations
bill, Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) introduced an amendment that
would have barred any funding in the bill from being used "pursuant to
the Authorization for Use of Military Force [AUMF] ... after December 31,
2014," the date that was set as the official end of U.S. combat
operations in Afghanistan. Enacted in 2001 in the wake of 9/11, the AUMF has
been invoked numerous times by the executive branch for U.S. military intervention
not only in Afghanistan but elsewhere.

The House rejected Lee's amendment on June 19, 2014
by a vote of 157 to 260 (Roll Call 330). Presidents have been able to claim
broad authority to go to war whenever or wherever they choose under the AUMF,
despite the fact that the Founding Fathers never intended for one man to make
this decision and under the Constitution only Congress may "declare
war."

During consideration of the National Defense
Authorization Act for fiscal 2015 (NDAA, H.R. 4435), Rep. Adam Smith
(D-Wash.) introduced an amendment to prohibit the indefinite military
detention of any person detained under the Authorization for the Use of
Military Force authority in the United States, its territories, or
possessions by providing immediate transfer to a trial and proceedings by a
court. It also would strike language that would provide for mandatory
military custody of covered parties.

The House rejected Smith's amendment on May 22, 2014
by a vote of 191 to 230 (Roll Call 234). Any attempt to limit or prohibit
indefinite military detention is desirable, especially since persons detained
may include U.S. citizens. Indefinite military detention is a blatant
violation of the Sixth Amendment, and an executive who can wield such powers
is akin to a monarch or dictator. As Rep. Smith said during consideration of
the amendment: "That is an enormous amount of power to give the
Executive: to take someone and lock them up without due process. It is not
necessary. This President has not used the authority. President George W.
Bush did not use it after about 2002 and then only in a couple of instances.
It is not necessary. It is an enormous amount of power to grant the
Executive, and I believe places liberty and freedom at risk in this
country."

During consideration of the National Defense
Authorization Act for fiscal 2015 (NDAA, H.R. 4435), Rep. Adam Schiff
(D-Calif.) introduced an amendment to sunset the 2001 Authorization for the
Use of Military Force 12 months after the enactment of the 2015 NDAA.

The House rejected Schiff's amendment on May 22, 2014
by a vote of 191 to 233 (Roll Call 237). The Authorization for the Use of
Military Force, while granted by Congress, gives the president almost
unlimited powers to invade countries, overthrow governments, and assassinate
people under the pretext of waging the "war on terror." Congress
essentially handed over its constitutional authority to declare war to the
executive branch, thus giving the executive unconstitutional abilities. Any
attempt to end the Authorization for the Use of Military Force is a step in
the right direction.

This bill (H.R. 4152), as amended by the Senate (see
Senate vote below), would provide $150 million for direct aid to Ukraine. It
would also provide for loan guarantees (meaning that U.S. taxpayers would be
stuck holding the bag if the loans are not paid). And it would impose
sanctions on Russian and ex-Ukrainian officials deemed responsible for the
crisis in the Ukraine.

[ The Senate version of this legislation - offered in
the form of a substitute amendment to the House version, H.R. 4152 - would
provide $150 million for direct aid to Ukraine. It would also provide for
loan guarantees (meaning that the U.S. taxpayers would be stuck holding the
bag if the loans are not paid). And it would impose sanctions on Russian and
ex-Ukrainian officials deemed responsible for the crisis in the Ukraine. ]

The House voted for this legislation on April 1, 2014
by a vote of 378 to 34 (Roll Call 149). Foreign aid is unconstitutional. The
rationale for providing U.S. aid to Ukraine is that the country needs our
assistance to resist Russian hegemony and build "democracy." Yet
the oligarchs wielding power in Ukraine are hardly "democrats," and
(because money is fungible) U.S. assistance could effectively be funneled to
Russia in the form of Ukrainian energy and debt payments.

During consideration of the omnibus appropriations
bill (H.R. 3547), Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) moved that the House concur with
the Senate version of the bill that would provide about $1.1 trillion in
discretionary spending in fiscal 2014 for the following federal departments
and agencies: Agriculture ($20.9 billion), Commerce-Justice-Science ($51.6
billion), Defense ($572 billion), overseas contingency operations associated
with the war in Afghanistan and other counterterrorism operations ($85.2
billion), Energy-Water ($34.1 billion), Financial Services ($21.9 billion),
Homeland Security ($39.3 billion), Interior-Environment ($30.1 billion),
Labor-HHS-Education ($156.8 billion), Legislative Branch ($4.3 billion),
Military Construction-VA ($73.3 billion), State-Foreign Affairs ($49
billion), and Transportation-HUD ($50.9 billion). The legislation satisfies
the $1.012 trillion cap on discretionary spending established by the December
budget deal, which had repealed a portion of sequestration cuts provided by
the 2011 debt limit law. This amounts to a 2.6 percent increase in
discretionary spending compared to the sequester-reduced level for fiscal
2013. The bill also includes $98 billion not subject to the budget cap,
including funding for war-related and anti-terrorism programs, as well as
disaster relief.

The House concurred with the Senate version of the
omnibus appropriations bill on January 15, 2014 by a vote of 359 to 67 (Roll
Call 21). With this budget agreement Congress is failing to address its
fiscally and constitutionally irresponsible budgeting and appropriating
process that is currently yielding annual federal deficits measured in the
hundreds of billions of dollars that contribute directly to the dramatic
growth of our $17 trillion national debt.

During consideration of the Budget Agreement for
fiscal 2014 (House Joint Resolution 59), Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) moved that
the House concur with the Senate version of the fiscal 2014 continuing
resolution (H. J. Res 59) that would increase the discretionary spending caps
for fiscal 2014 and 2015 to $1.012 trillion and $1.014 trillion,
respectively. This represents an increase of $26 billion for 2014 and $19
billion for 2015. Furthermore, this amounts to the elimination of $63 billion
in sequester cuts for 2014 and 2015. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) explained
his no vote on this budget agreement in a Facebook post for December 24,
2013: "Instead of real compromise to reform the biggest budget items
contributing to our $17 trillion debt - Social Security, military spending,
and Medicare - the bill increases federal spending for special interests by
tens of billions of dollars and pays for it by raising taxes on millions of
Americans."

The House concurred with the Senate version of the
Budget Resolution on December 12, 2013 by a vote of 332 to 94 (Roll Call
640). With this budget agreement Congress is failing to address its fiscally
and constitutionally irresponsible budgeting and appropriating process that
is currently yielding annual federal deficits measured in the hundreds of
billions of dollars that contribute directly to the dramatic growth of our
$17 trillion national debt.

U.S.-China Joint Military
Exercises.During consideration of the defense appropriations
bill (H.R. 2397), Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas) offered an amendment to
prohibit funds to "be used for United States military exercises which
include any participation by the People's Republic of China." On
September 6, 2013, after this amendment was rejected, three Chinese warships
arrived at Pearl Harbor to participate in a joint one-day search-and-rescue
drill with the U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser U.S.S. Lake Erie. The joint
exercise was conducted on September 9, 2013. On November 12, 2013, for the
first time in U.S. history, Chinese People's Liberation Army troops put boots
on U.S. soil as they participated in a joint "Disaster Management
Exchange" with the U.S. Army Pacific, the Hawaii Army National Guard,
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The amendment to prohibit the use of
funds for such ventures was intended to prevent the U.S. military from
participating in them.

The House rejected Stockman's amendment on July 24,
2013 by a vote of 137 to 286 (Roll Call 404). Communist China is a
self-proclaimed enemy of the United States, responsible for the deaths of
tens of millions of people in the 20th century; continues to persecute
countless political dissenters, Christians, and other religious minorities;
and has recently threatened to target and destroy U.S. cities with
nuclear-tipped ICBMs. Military collaboration with the Chinese regime will not
diminish the security threat it poses to the United States but, if anything,
heighten it.

Military Intervention.During consideration of the defense appropriations
bill (H.R. 2397), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) offered an amendment to
prohibit funding for military actions after December 31, 2014 that are
carried out pursuant to the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force
(AUMF). As Rep. Schiff noted: "The 2001 AUMF was never intended to
authorize a war without end, and it now poorly defines those who pose a
threat to our country. That authority and the funding that goes along with it
should expire concurrent with the end of our combat role in
Afghanistan."Schiff also noted: "The Constitution vests the
Congress with the power to declare war and the responsibility of
appropriating funds to pay for it. It is our most awesome responsibility and
central to our military efforts overseas. We owe it to the men and women we
send into combat to properly define and authorize their mission, and my
amendment will effectively give Congress the next 16 months to do so."The House rejected Schiff's amendment on July 24,
2013 by a vote of 185 to 236 (Roll Call 410). Only Congress has the
constitutional authority to declare war and appropriate funds to pay for it.
Authorizing the president to use military force without a declaration of war
is a shifting of responsibility from Congress to the executive branch that
essentially allows the president to exercise dictator-like powers and should
be opposed.

The House adopted Coffman's amendment on July 23,
2013 by a vote of 346 to 79 (Roll Call 390). It is preposterous that the
United States would take U.S. taxpayer dollars to purchase helicopters for
the new Afghan military from Rosoboronexport, a Russian state-owned export
company that has manufactured and supplied arms to enemy states, such as Iran
and Syria.

Farm and Food Programs. This legislation (H.R. 1947) would authorize roughly
$939 billion through fiscal 2018 for federal farm aid, nutrition assistance,
rural development, etc. This bill would also institute programs to manage
milk supplies and subsidies for farmers. Significantly, this proposed
legislation would restrict eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP), known as food stamps, and allow states to conduct
drug testing on SNAP applicants.

The House rejected H.R. 1947 on June 20, 2013 by a
vote of 195 to 234 (Roll Call 286). This legislation would call for nearly $1
trillion in unconstitutional spending. The constitution does not authorize
the federal government to subsidize food, farmers, or poverty. These
subsidies have resulted in large market distortions as the government
essentially picks winners and losers in the food production industry, and the
fact that the number of people enrolled in food stamp programs has grown
consistently illustrates that these programs do little to lift people out of
poverty.

Indefinite Military
Detention.During consideration of the defense authorization
bill (H.R. 1960), Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) offered an amendment to eliminate
indefinite military detention of any person detained in the United States,
its territories, or possessions, under the 2001 Authorization for Use of
Military Force. Smith's amendment would call for the immediate transfer of
such detained persons to trial in a civilian court. Furthermore, Smith's
amendment would repeal a provision of the 2012 defense authorization law that
requires mandatory military custody of members or associates of al-Qaeda who
planned or carried out attacks against the United States or its coalition
partners.

The House rejected Smith's amendment on June 13, 2013
by a vote of 200 to 226 (Roll Call 228). Indefinite detention without trial
is a serious violation of long-cherished legal protections including the
right to habeas corpus, the issuance of a warrant based on probable cause
(Fourth Amendment), and the right to a "speedy and public" trial
(Sixth Amendment). Under the National Defense Authorization Act, the
president may abrogate these rights simply by designating terror suspects,
including Americans, as "enemy combatants." A government that would
lock up anyone indefinitely without trial is certainly moving toward tyranny,
and legislation to prevent this abuse of power is needed.

Continuing Appropriations for
Fiscal 2013. This appropriations bill (H.R. 933) would finance the federal
government through the end of fiscal 2013. Its provisions include five
full-year appropriations bills - Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science,
Defense, Homeland Security, and Military Construction-VA. It would also
continue appropriations for the remainder of the federal government at 2012
levels, with certain adjustments. The spending includes $1.043 trillion in
"discretionary" (non-mandatory) spending before sequestration.

In general, this appropriations bill perpetuates the
Washington spendathon without making the needed decisions to slash government
spending and eliminate deficit spending - projected to be $973 billion for
fiscal 2013 in the budget Obama submitted in April.

The House agreed to this legislation on March 21,
2013 by a vote of 318 to 109 (Roll Call 89). Passage of this mammoth
continuing resolution provided a way for Congress to perpetuate its fiscally
irresponsible, unconstitutional spending habits with a minimum of
accountability to its constituents.

Short-term Debt Limit
Increase. This bill (H.R. 325), voted on in January 2013, would suspend the
public debt limit through May 18, 2013 and, in effect, allow the Treasury
Department to borrow as much as it needs in order to pay its bills over the
next four months: February, March, April, and May. Another provision in the
bill would withhold pay for representatives or senators if either house fails
to approve a budget by April 15. The pay would be withheld for each member of
Congress until his or her house agrees to a concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal 2014 or until the last day of the 113th Congress.

The House passed H.R. 325 on January 23, 2013 by a
vote of 285 to 144 (Roll Call 30). The federal government should live within
its means and because most of the spending responsible for the ballooning
national debt is unconstitutional.Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

The Strengthening State and
Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017 (H.R. 1616) would, according to the
bill, authorize "within the United States Secret Service a National
Computer Forensics Institute" for fiscal years 2017 through 2022.
According to the bill, "The Institute shall disseminate information
related to the investigation and prevention of cyber and electronic crime and
related threats, and educate, train, and equip State, local, tribal, and
territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges."
(Emphasis added.) In the name of combating cyber crime, this bill would
further erode the distinction between local law enforcement and federal
policing.

The House passed H.R. 1616 on May 16, 2017 by a vote of 408 to 3 (Roll Call
258). We have assigned pluses to the nays because providing federal equipment
and training to state and local law-enforcement officers not only is
unconstitutional, but also further federalizes the police system.

Rather than voting to repeal ObamaCare,
the House voted instead to retain much of ObamaCare under the guise of
"repeal and replace." The legislation (H.R. 1628), known as the
American Health Care Act (AHCA), was strongly backed by President Trump and
the Republican congressional leadership. Consequently most Republicans voted
for the bill, but 20 voted against it. Liberty-minded Representative Thomas
Massie (R-Ky.) noted that the AHCA entailed "replacing mandates,
subsidies and penalties with mandates, subsidies and penalties." Another
Republican lawmaker, Representative Andy Biggs (Ariz.), while
"applaud[ing] all the hard work of the House Freedom Caucus, which has
made every effort ... to improve this legislation," nonetheless
concluded that the "final bill ... does not meet the promises I made to
my constituents." Biggs added, "I remain committed to a full repeal
of ObamaCare."

The House passed H.R. 1628 on May 4, 2017 by a vote 217 to 213 (Roll Call
256). We have assigned pluses to the nays because ObamaCare should be
repealed, not replaced with a Republican variant of unconstitutional
government healthcare that more liberty-minded lawmakers have referred to as
"ObamaCare Lite" and "ObamaCare 2.0." Admittedly, the
Democrats who voted against this GOP alternatives have gotten
"pluses" on this for the wrong reasons (they do not want to move
away from the ObamaCare brand and in many cases want even more socialized
medicine), but the Republicans who voted against the bill based on principle
as opposed to partisanship are to be applauded.

The Securing Our Agriculture
and Food Act (H.R. 1238) would expand the War on Terror to the farm and dairy
front in order to "share information and quickly respond to
agro-terrorism threats," according to the bill's lead sponsor,
Representative David Young (R-Iowa). Congressman Young cited the 2015 avian
influenza that “wiped out millions of layer hens, turkeys, and backyard
flocks" in Iowa to justify the need for his bill, despite the fact that
the bird flu was not caused by terrorists.

The House passed H.R. 1238 on March 22, 2017 by a vote of 406 to 6 (Roll Call
187). We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill expands the
"War on Terror" to include the fictitious and non-existent threat
of "agro-terrorism" in the American homeland, thereby further
interjecting the U.S. government into the agriculture sector, despite the
absence of any constitutional power to manage this or any other sector of the
American economy.

15 Comments:

Mickey- Thanks for your many comments. I believe they might be automated as I have the complete opposite viewpoint from you regarding Congressman Blackburn. I am quite happy that she voted for Global AIDS funding, and against a ban on UN contributions.

Thanks for dropping by to comment, Mickey. I disagree with some of your political positions, but your analysis of Rep. Blackburn's un-conservative voting record is right on. The Patriot Act and warrantless searches are definitely not classically conservative, small-government measures. Keep up the good fight!

Mickey, are you saying you think MB's vote on all (I'm thinking specifically of H.R. 1261, which could be viewed as a claw back of some tax revenues for noble purpose) these issues are wrong, or is this just a report card?

Mickey, I see that you are in full mode when it comes to Tea Party agendas, while I am a confirmed liberal redneck Independent. But one thing we do have in common, albeit in opposite spheres, is Marsha Blackburn's voting record.

Thanks much and very kindly for your comment on my blog. Hope much to yak at ya some more.